Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 1 · column 5 of 5 · from the scan, no model involved
By Gerald Ochs
Rappahannock News Writer
The ear tax cut may have nearlysnared another victim, this time the Sheriff's Office in Rappahannock County. Sheriff Larry Sherertz told the Board of Supervisors, at their September meeting, that he had recently lost three employees within a ninety day period, and attempts to replace them were stymied because of what w as effectively a State hiring freeze attributable, he said.'to a funding crisis created by the car tax cut.
Sheriff Sherertz explained that he followed the normal course of action to replace the employees—he interviewed candidates, made selections and sent that informatkm by computer to the State Compensation Board (SCB) in Richmond. He was surprised, he said, by the reply, which was that he would not be permitted to hire the replacement personnel.
In a follow-up phone conversation, the Compensation Board told the Sheriff that he would have to submit his hiring recommendations in writing, with justification for the proposed hires. That was odd, he said, because the vacant positions are mandated by the SCB.
The Compensation Board met on Aug. 28 and tabled his request. The Sheriff said that he “went off like a rocket,” especially after being told by a SCB employee that he “could go out and hire anyone you want,” but the State would not pay for those employees and it would cost the County some $6000 per month to employ them.
His response to the SCB’s action w&s to speak to other sheriffs who were experiencing similar difficulties and to the State Sheriff’s Association, and it was jointly decided to bring this freeze to the public’s
See SHERIFF, Page A4
85.2%